Governess of the Children of France

The Governess of the Children of France (sometimes the Governess of the Royal Children) was charged with the education of the children and grandchildren of the monarch. The holder of the office was taken from the highest ranking nobility of France. The governess was supported by various under-governesses (sous gouvernantes).

Governesses of the Children of France

The Duchess of La Ferté-Senneterre with the Duke of Anjou on her lap and the Duke of Brittany, François de Troy.

Engraving of Victoire de Rohan with Madame Royale overlooked by a painting of Marie Antoinette, unknown artist.

Yolande de Polastron, by Madame Vigée Le Brun.

Henry II of France

• Claude Catherine de Clermont (1543-1603), Duchess of Retz.

Children of Louis XIII

• Françoise de Lansac (1583-1657).

Children of Louis XIV

• 1661-1672 : Louise de Prie, (1624-1709), Marquise of Toucy, Duchess of Cardona^[1]
• 1669-1682 : Françoise d'Aubigné (1635-1719), Marquise of Maintenon ^[2]

Children of the Grand Dauphin

• 1682-1691 : Louise de Prie, (1624-1709), Marquise of Toucy, Duchess of Cardona.

Children of the Duke of Burgundy

• 1709-1710 : Marie Isabelle Gabrielle Angélique de La Mothe-Houdancourt (1654-1726), Duchess of La Ferté-Senneterre^[3]
• 1710-1735 : Charlotte de La Mothe-Houdancourt, (1651-1744), Duchess of Ventadour^[4]

Children of Louis XV

• 1727-1735 : Charlotte de La Mothe-Houdancourt, (1654-1744), Duchess of Ventadour.
  • Anne Julie de Melun acted as a sous gouvernante to Madame de Ventadour^[5]
• 1735-1754 : Marie Isabelle de Rohan, (1699-1754), Duchess of Tallard^[6]

Children of Louis, Dauphin of France

• 1735-1754 : Marie Isabelle de Rohan, (1699-1754), Duchess of Tallard
• 1754-1776 : Marie Louise de Rohan, (1720-1803), Countess of Marsan^[7]

Children of Louis XVI

• 1776-1782 : Victoire de Rohan, (1743-1807), Princess of Guéméné^[8]
• 1782-1789 : Yolande de Polastron, (1749-1793), Duchess of Polignac.
• 1789-1792 : Louise Élisabeth de Croÿ, (1749-1832), Marquise of Tourzel.

Children of Napoleon I

• 1811-1815 : Louise Charlotte Françoise Le Tellier de Montesquiou, (1765-1835), Countess. ^[9]

Children of Louis Philippe I

• 1773-1791 : Stéphanie Félicité du Crest de Saint-Aubin (1746-1830), Countess of Genlis.

Notes

1. wife of Philippe de La Mothe-Houdancourt
2. governess of the duc du Maine, Mademoiselle de Nantes, Mademoiselle de Tours and the comte de Vexin - illegitimate children of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan
3. daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cardona and older sister of Madame de Ventadour
4. daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Cardona
5. Anne Julie was the wife of Jules, Prince of Soubise and as such, grand daughter "in law" of La Ventadour
6. daughter of Hercule Mériadec, Duke of Rohan-Rohan and Anne Geneviève de Lévis, grand daughter of the Duchess of Ventadour
7. Daughter of Jules, Prince of Soubise and a great grand daughter of the Duchess of Ventadour
8. great great grand daughter of the Duchess of Ventadour
9. Daughter of Charles François César Le Tellier de Louvois-Courtanvaux de Montmirail de Creuzy, Marquis de Montmirail (1734-1765)